HELP ERIK'S EMERGENCY FUND

Please read the message below from Erik's sister Angela:

I can’t even believe that I’m writing this or that I am  asking for help. This is the type of thing I usually read and donate, not write. But here I go…My name is Angela, and I’m reaching out to ask for your help as my brother Erik is going through some major medical issues. Please consider a donation of any size to help Erik cover basic living expenses, bills, and his portion of current and future medical costs. Erik was supposed to be starting a new job Monday, and now may not be able to drive for a year or more. He currently has no health insurance and we are trying to do what we can.

As many of you know, Erik had a seizure on Saturday May 19th, he was taken to the emergency room for testing and was almost released when they did a CT scan and found a mass. An MRI was ordered immediately to confirm was the mass was or if it was only fluid from his fall during the seizure.

Everything changed for Erik and our family when the results of the MRI revealed a sizable tumor on the right side of his brain. The tumor is located in an area that controls his motor functions. Immediately, Erik was admitted. At this point we were in Brookhaven Memorial Hospital. After multiple correspondence and altercations with the doctors and hospital staff (due to him not having insurance) we had him transferred out and into Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was immediately admitted for surgery (an out of pocket expense).

The surgical risks included are Brain Damage, Infection, and Paralysis. The post surgical risks based on the location of the tumor include weakness on his left side, potential for not being able to walk, and learning how to use his left side again. Basically, according to his surgeon, any tumor in the brain is cancerous, it’s just how cancerous on a grade level, which they won’t be able to determine until after they remove it. That will determine if he needs radiation and chemo from there.

While Erik focuses his energies on getting better, I’ve stepped in and created this campaign to help bring him some relief from the financial pressures he’s going to be facing from his surgery; possible radiation and chemo; payment for medications, including those to prevent seizures and epilepsy; physical and occupational therapy.

Those of you who know my brother know he’s a big teddy bear and always there when anyone needs him. He's usually the hard shell but right now I know that he’s scared and we are doing what we can to be here and provide what we can for him. We are all  scared and trying to take this day by day with the most positive outlook we can.

On behalf of Erik and our family, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Angela (Schneider) Santangelo